Many women experience fatigue, pain, changes in body image, and other physical and emotional challenges after breast cancer treatment. Researchers wanted to find out whether a healthy lifestyle program that included a Mediterranean diet, regular physical activity, and vitamin D supplementation could improve quality of life in breast cancer survivors.
What Did Researchers Study?
– 227 breast cancer survivors participated in a 12-month lifestyle program.
– The program encouraged participants to follow a traditional Mediterranean diet, increase physical activity, and maintain healthy vitamin D levels.
– Researchers measured changes in quality of life using validated questionnaires before and after the program.
What Did the Study Find?
After 12 months, researchers observed improvements in several areas of quality of life, including:
– Better overall health status (p < 0.001).
– Better physical functioning (p = 0.003).
– Better social functioning (p < 0.001).
– Improved body image (p < 0.001).
– Greater optimism about the future (p < 0.001).
– Higher overall well-being (p = 0.001).
Participants also experienced reductions in several common symptoms, including:
– Less fatigue (p < 0.001).
– Less nausea and vomiting (p = 0.015).
– Less shortness of breath (p = 0.001).
– Fewer breast-related symptoms (p = 0.004).
– Fewer treatment-related side effects (p < 0.001).
Why Does This Matter?
Recovering from breast cancer is about more than treating the disease, it also means improving how you feel physically and emotionally. This study suggests that combining a Mediterranean-style eating pattern with regular physical activity and healthy vitamin D levels may help improve quality of life and reduce several common symptoms experienced after breast cancer treatment.
Main Takeaways
– A healthy lifestyle program that included a Mediterranean diet improved several aspects of quality of life.
– Participants reported less fatigue and better physical, social, and emotional well-being after 12 months.
– The program was also associated with fewer treatment-related side effects and breast symptoms.
– Healthy eating, regular movement, and maintaining adequate vitamin D levels may all play a role in supporting recovery after breast cancer.
As the researchers concluded:
“A healthy lifestyle treatment of traditional Mediterranean diet and exercise may impact positively on HRQoL in BC survivors.”
Source: Montagnese C, et al. Quality of Life in Women Diagnosed with Breast Cancer after a 12-Month Treatment of Lifestyle Modifications.